Draft rigging



Oct. 12, 1965 cs. w. COPE DRAFT RIGGING Filed NOV- 27. 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor;

Geoffrey W Cope his Attorney G. W. COPE DRAFT RIGGING Oct. 12, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27, 3

llllllll I n v e n t o r Geoffrey W Cope his Attorney G. W. COPE DRAFT RIGGING 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 In v e n10 r I Geoffrey W. Cope Oct. 12, 1965 Filed Nov. 27. 1963 his Attorney FIG. 41

FIG. 12

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 G. W. COPE DRAFT RIGGING Oct. 12, 1965 FiledNov. 27, 1963 FIG. 9

FIG. 8

llk

Invenro r:

Geoffrey W. Cope yKflJM M M his Attorney FIG. 40

"- FIG. 13

United States Patent 3,211,296 DRAFT RIGGING Geoffrey W. Cope, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor to Symington Wayne Corporation, Salisbury, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,521 13 Claims. '(Cl. 213-64) This invention relates to draft rigging for railway cars.

As pointed out at length in my copending application Serial No. 302, 668, filed on August 16, 1963, the increasing demands for longer cars, preferably equipped with cushion underframes for maximum protection of lading, has presented a problem in long car design because of the limited curve negotiability obtainable in such cars with conventional draft rigging and the excessive lateral forces developed in such rigging in negotiating curves under certain conditions. That application proposed to solve the problem by moving the horizontal pivot of each coupler inwardly toward the pivot of the adjoining truck without increasing the length of the coupler. The disclosed solution of that application for cushion underframes was to shorten the floating sill and mount each coupler for vertical pivoting in a draft arm connected for horizontal pivoting to an adjoining end of the sill. In keeping with conventional practice in supporting vertically pivotable couplers, the application shows its couplers yieldably supported at coupling height by resilient coupler carriers mounted on and projecting below the front ends of the draft arms.

The arrangement disclosed in the above application is applicable generally to long cars. However, in a long car having relatively short overhangs, the draft arms must be shortened correspondingly and such a short arm, in fully pulled out or extreme forward position, produces a leverage under vertical loadings on the head of the coupler that is unfavorable in the forces developed to the fixed cross-beam on which the draft arm is supported at the front. Such forces are sustainable, even at maximum loading, but only by a disproportionate strengthening of the cross-beam and associated parts of the cars fixed underframe.

It, therefore, is the primary object of the present invention to provide a draft rigging for railway car cushion underframes which not only minimizes the lateral forces to which a car is subjected in negotiating a curve and enhances its curve negotiability, but also presents a concentration on the fixed part of the underframe adjoining the coupler, of the forces resulting from vertical loadings on the coupler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a draft rigging for cushion underframes wherein a draft arm in which a coupler is mounted for relative vertical pivoting, in turn is mounted for relative horizontal pivoting in a floating sill and the floating sill fully supports the coupler and draft arm under vertical loadings on the coupler and distributes the resultant forces over the fixed under-frame.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an articulated coupler formed of a draft arm mountable for relative horizontal pivoting in a sill of a railway car and a coupler mounted for relative vertical pivoting in the draft arm, and having the resilient support for the coupler contained in the draft arm rearwardly of the couplers pivot, thereby eliminating possible interference by the resilient support with the disposition or movement of .the

draft arm relative to the sill.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment 3,211,296 Patented Get. 112, 1965 ice of the draft rigging of the present invention showing the coupler in solid line in normal position and in dot-and dash line at maximum angling in buff and with portions broken away and shown in section to more clearly illustrate certain details of construction;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 55 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along lines 7-7 of FIGURE 9 and showing the details of the resilient support for the coupler;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 9-9 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary plan view on the scale of FIGURE 7 showing the rear part of the coupler;

FIGURE 11 and 12 are, respectively, top and bottom plan views of the spring cap; and

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of the spacer block.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved draft rigging of this invention while applicable generally to railway cars, is particularly designed for use on long cars to free such cars of the restrictions on length imposed by conventional draft rigging using standard railway couplers of maximum practical length. With the improved draft rigging, it is feasible to equip a car with a horizontally and vertically pivotable coupler having a greater length between pulling face and horizontal pivot than the practical maximum of upwards of sixty inches (60) of an A.A.R. standard coupler due to shank instability. Too, possible interference between the coupler and the fixed part of the cars underframe supporting it is decreased and, in the case of a cushion underframe, without concentrating vertical loadings of the coupler on that part, even in a long car having relatively short overhangs. Probably most advantageous when applied to a cushion underframe, the improved draft rigging has been so illus trated as exemplary of the invention.

Designated generally as 1, the improved draft rigging is comprised basically of a horizontally and vertically pivotable or swingable articulated coupler 2, which in turn is comprised of a vertically pivotable coupler or coupler member 3 and a draft or swing arm or shank extension 4 in which the coupler is pivotally mounted and which,itself, is connectable for relative horizontal pivoting or swinging to a sill of a railway car. In the illustrated embodiment the draft rigging 1 also includes a floating or draft sill 5 mounted and slideable longitudinally against yieldable resistance in fixed center sills 6. Except that the yieldable resistance may be a single device or mechanism (not shown) suitable for cushioning the center sills 6 from longitudinal forces on the floating sill 5, the draft rigging and sill structure will be the same at each end of a car and the illustrated structure at one end therefor will suffice for an understanding of the invention.

For preventing jackknifing in buff, the coupler 3 preferably has a head 7 of a so-called interlocking or tightlock type, hereinafter collectively termed interlocking and illustrated by a Type F coupler head that has at most very limited relative contour angling when coupled with a like coupler. Integral with its head 7, the coupler 3 has a rigid shank 8 provided, intermediate its ends, with a butt or hub 9 and terminating, rearwardly of the butt, in a lever arm 10. In its preferred form, the lever arm 10 is a longitudinally bifurcated or slotted, upwardly facing shelf, plate or web, that is reinforced at the sides by integral gussets or webs 11, has a substantially flat upper face or surface 12 and projects or extends rearwardly from and substantially in line with the bottom of the butt 9.

The draft arm 4 in which the coupler 3 is mounted conveniently is formed as a hollow casting, generally rectangular in cross-section and having a central cavity or recess 13 extending from adjacent its butt or rear end 14 forwardly to and opening onto its front end 15. The shank 8 of the coupler 3 projects or extends into the cavity 13 through the latters mouth or open front end 16, preferably to such an extent that it is substantially fully or entirely received in and contained by the draft arm 4. The coupler is connected to the draft arm for relative vertical pivoting or swinging and against relative longitudinal movement by a horizontal pivot or coupler pin 17 extending laterally through preferably hushed, laterally aligned apertures, a pair 18 in rib-reinforced bosses 19 instanding from the opposite sides or side walls 20 of the arm, and the other 21 in the hub 9 of the coupler.

With the coupler pin 17 its vertical pivot, the coupler 3 is yieldably or resiliently supported or held at coupling height in uncoupled condition by a support or leveling spring means 22 contained in the cavity 13 and acting vertically between the top wall 23 of the draft arm 4 and the lever arm 10 at the rear of the coupler. The spring means 22 preferably is a vertically disposed coil compression spring seating at the top against a seat 24 formed on the top wall 23 and having at the bottom a spring cap 25 which bears downwardly against the upper face 12 of the lever arm 10 at the sides of a longitudinally extending, laterally centered, rearwardly opening slot 26 therein.

To permit limited upward movement of the head 7 of the coupler 3 against the force of gravity, the lever arm 10 is normally spaced by the weight of the head above the bottom wall 27 of the draft arm 4 and the spring cap 25 is limited in its downward movement as the spring 22 expands by a spacer block 28 upstanding from the bottom wall and normally projecting through the slot 26 in the lever arm to engage the spring cap, The spacer block may be bolted or otherwise suitably attached or secured to the bottom wall and, to position it on the lever arm 10 as the coupler head 7 swings downwardly, the spring cap 25 is out-of-round to enable it to be restrained against turning by the gussets 11. If desired, this positioning or locating action of the gussets 11 can be assisted by forming on the underside of the cap 25 a depending tongue or rib 29 of a width to fit in the slot 26 as the spring cap rocks on the lever arm 10 on downward swinging of the coupler head 7.

The bolt 30 shown in the illustrated embodiment as threaded into a central, upstanding stem or shank 31 on the cap 25, is only for assembly purposes and is removed after the coupler 3 and draft arm 4 have been assembled. In assembly the spring cap 25 and spring 22 are inserted into the cavity 13 in the draft arm and the bolt 31 is applied through the top wall 23 of the draft arm to compress the spring sufliciently to permit insertion of the spacer block 28. The assembly bolt 31 is removed after the spacer block 28 has been applied and secured. With the spring then held in compressed condition by the spacer block, the lever arm is slidable beneath the spring cap 25. The coupler 3 thus can be applied and removed without disturbing the spring, spring cap and spacer block. In the final steps of assembly, the coupler 3 is connected to the draft arm 4 by the coupler pin 17 and the latter is secured in place by suitable means, such as the illustrated cover plates 32 welded to the sides of the draft arm and covering the outer ends of the apertures 19.

Vertically pivotable on the coupler pin 17, the coupler 3 derives its horizontal pivot from the connection between the butt 14 of the draft arm and the fixed sills 6 or, in the case of a cushion underframe, the floating sill 5. In either case, the draft arm 4 will be connected by a vertical or draft arm pin 33 serving as the couplers horizontal pivot. With a non-interlocking coupler head, such as that of the Type E coupler, the connection may only permit horizontal pivoting or swinging of the draft arm relative to the sill or sills 5 or 6. However, to accommodate the relative movements required in mated couplers on cars negotiating a curve on a grade, with the limited contour angling permitted by the preferred interlocking coupler 3, the latter must be capable of a limited rotation of about 4 /2 To this end, the preferred connection is similar to the universal connection of a Type F coupler which permits the necessary limited rotation, except that the wings provided in the latter to enable the associated cushioning mechanism to act as a centering device would be ineffective on a coupler of the weight of the articulated coupler 2 of this invention. Thus, the butt 14 of the preferred draft arm 4 has a convexly spherical bearing surface 34 and, forwardly of that surface, a vertical aperture 35 for receiving the pivot pin 33 with the usual pin bearing block 36, cylindrical fore and spherical aft, to accommodate between the draft arm and the pin the relative universal movement permitted by the spherical bearing surface.

Whether the connection of the draft arm 4 is to a floating sill 5 or to fixed sills 6, a cushioning mechanism 37 ordinarily will be employed to partly cushion the longitudinal forces that otherwise would be transmited to it through the draft arm. In the illustrated installation in which the draft arm is connected to a floating sill 5, the cushioning mechanism 37 suitably may be a rubber cushioning unit contained in the sill between front and rear stop lugs 38 and the draft arm may be connected by the pivot pin 33 directly to a follower member 39 having arms 40 straddling the butt 14 and receiving the pin and, between the arms, a concavely spherical bearing face 41 concentric with and engaging the butt bearing surface 34.

To accommodate the extended relative horizontal swinging of the coupler 3 consequent upon the elongation of its shank 8 by the dnaft arm 4, the sill or sills 5 or 6 to which the draft arm is connected and, in a cushion underframe installation both sills 5 and 6 are spread laterally, conveniently by flaring them forwardly from a point adjacent the horizontal pivot 33 to their outer ends rather than by laterally spacing them uniformly throughout their lengths. In either application, the articulated coupler 2 is an advantage in permitting extended horizontal swinging of the coupler 3 without elongating its shank 8 and at the same time eliminating potential interference with the part of the fixed underframe supporting the coupler by containing the supporting spring 22 within the draft arm instead of using a conventional resilient coupler carrier depending from the front end of the draft arm. This advantage is somewhat more pronounced in a cushion underframe installation in which the containment of the supporting spring 22 within the draft arm 4 enables the articulated coupler 2 to be supported at both front and rear or fully on the floating sill 5 under vertical loadings on its head 7 and thus enables the forces resulting from vertical loadings on the coupler 3 to be distributed over the fixed underframe through the floating sill and avoiding the concentration of such forces on a particular part of the underframe that would result were the coupler 2 supported at the front on that part.

Movable longitudinally relative to the floating sill 5 to the extent permitted by the cushioning mechanism 37, the draft arm 4, by virtue of its containment of the supporting spring 22, nonetheless can be supported at the front by the floating sill, an impossibility were the coupler supported by a conventional resilient coupler carrier. To this end, the sides 42 of the floating sill 5 extend forwardly substantially to the front end 15 of the draft arm 4 and are connected below and adjacent that end by a cross beam or support 43 on which the draft arm is slideably supported in its relative horizontal swinging. The normal spacing of the cross-beam 43 from the front end of the draft arm 4 must accommodate the range of relative longitudinal movement permitted by the cushioning mechanism 37. However, this is the only limitation upon the adjacency of the cross-beam to the draft arms front end and, with the draft arm so supported, the several fixed cross-bearers 44 slideably supporting the floating sill 5 in the fixed sills 6 over the length of the car, of which only the bottom cross-beam of the end sill at the adjoining end of the fixed sills 6 is illustrated, are

available to receive through the floating sill and distribute over the fixed underframe the vertical loadings on the head 7 of the coupler.

The spreading of the sides 41 of the floating sill 5 to accommodate the extended relative horizontal swinging or lateral movement of the articulated coupler 2, makes it desirable that they be reinforced at the front. Exemplifying a suitable front end structure, the illustrated front end 46 of the floating sill 5, like the illustrated end sill 45, is a weldment built up of structural shapes in which the sill sides 42 are connected and braced or reinforced at the bottom below the draft arm 4 by a lower I-beam, serving as the cross-beam or support member 43 and at the top by a second or upper I- or cross-beam 47 conveniently resting on and welded to their in-turned top flanges 48.

Positioned forwardly of the front or vertical pivot 17 and together vertically bounding a front opening 49 in the floating sill 5 for receiving the artculated coupler 2, the illustrated cross-beams or braces 43 and 47 are parallel to each other and normal to the longitudinal centerline of the floating sill and the lower cross-beam carries a wear plate 50 for engagement with the draft arm 4. The vertical spacing between the horizontally disposed, preferably flat inner or draft arm-confronting surfaces 51 on the cross beams 43 and 47 is such that the upper of these surfaces normally will be spaced above the draft arm a distance suflicient to accommodate the limited relative rotative movement of some 4 /2 required in the coupler 3. For engagement with the engaging or bearing surfaces 51 on the front end 43 of the floating sill, the draft arm 4 in turn has upper and lower bearing faces 52 confronting and of a length to engage the bearing surfaces over the range of relative longitudinal and lateral movements of the draft arm and floating sill. Conveniently formed on longitudinally extending ribs 53 upstanding and downstanding, respectively, from the top and bottom walls 23 and 27 of the draft arm 4, the bearing faces 52 on the draft arm are parallel to each other and the bearing surfaces 51 and, if flat, preferably are narrower than the walls from which the ribs project for decreased restraint against the limited rotational movement of the coupler.

With a front end 46 of the above construction, the normal forward projection of the floating sill 5 beyond the end sill 45 at the front end of the fixed center sills 6 must be sufficient to provide between their front ends space to accommodate their relative longitudinal movement, around twenty inches in current installations. However, the slight increase over a conventional underframe installation in the normal spacing of the head 7 of the coupler 3 beyond the fixed sills 6 that this requirement entails, poses no problem if, as in the articulated coupler 2 of this invention, the length of the coupler between head and horizontal pivot is not limited by the length of its shank. On the contrary, the preferred support of the articulated coupler 2 wholly on the floating sill 5 and at the front adjacent the front end 15 of the draft arm 4 and forwardly of the vertical pivot 17, together with the containment of the support spring 22 in the draft arm rearwardly of the pivot, by providing support for the draft arm forwardly of any point of transmission to it of forces resulting from vertical loadings on the coupler head 7, not only distributes those forces through the floating sill but effectively relieves the front end portion of the draft arm of any bending stresses from such forces. Like relief of the pivot pin 17 and shank 8 from bending stresses under lateral forces on the coupler 3 is obtained by the preferred construction in which the shank is both substantially fully received in the draft arm 5 and closely confined at the sides forwardly of the pivot pin by ribbing 54, instanding from the arms side walls 20.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved draft rigging having a horizontally and vertically pivotable coupler that is independent in the position of its horizontal pivot of the length of its shank and, in a cushion underframe installation, enabling vertical loadings on the coupler to be distributed over the fixed underframe through the floating sill. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and all modifications are intended to be included that do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising sill means extending longitudinally of said car, a coupler, a draft arm, longitudinally spaced means connecting said draft arm rearwardly for relative horizontal pivoting to said sill means and forwardly for relative vertical pivoting to said coupler, and means carried by said draft arm intermediate said connecting means and acting on said coupler for yieldably resisting downward pivoting thereof.

2. A drift rigging for a railway car comprising sill means extending longitudinally of said car, a coupler, a

draft arm, longitudinally spaced means connecting said draft a-rm rearwardly for relative horizontal pivoting to said sill means and forwardly for relative vertical pivoting to said coupler, and spring means acting vertically between said draft arm and coupler intermediate said connecting means for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said coupler.

3. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a floating sill extending and slideable longitudinally of said car, a draft arm mounted in and supported by said sill, a coupler mounted in said draft arm, longitudinally spaced means connecting said draft arm rearwardly for relative horizontal pivoting to said sill means and forwardly for relative vertical pivoting to said coupler, and means carried by said draft arm intermediate said connecting means and acting on said coupler for yieldably supporting said coupler at coupling height.

4. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a floating sill extending and slideable longitudinally of said car, a draft arm mounted in said sill, a coupler mounted in said draft arm, means connecting a rear of said draft arm to said sill for relative horizontal pivoting and rotation, means spaced forwardly from said first connecting means and connecting said draft arm and coupler for relative vertical pivoting, spring means in said draft arm and acting downwardly on said coupler rearwardly of said second connecting means for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said coupler, and means on said sill for supporting said coupler thereon at the rear and adjacent said second connecting means.

5. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a float ing :sill extending and slideable longitudinally of said car, a draft arm mounted in said sill, a coupler mounted in said draft arm, means connecting a rear of said draft arm to said sill for relative horizontal pivoting and rotation, means spaced forwardly from said first connecting means and connecting said draft arm and coupler for relative vertical pivoting, spring means in said draft arm and act ing downwardly on said coupler rearwardly of said second connecting means for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said coupler, and means on said sill for supporting said coupler thereon at the rear and forwardly of said second connecting means.

6. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a floating sill extending and slideable longitudinally of said car, a draft arm mounted in said sill, a coupler mounted in said draft arm, means connecting a rear of said draft arm to said sill for relative horizontal pivoting and rotation, means spaced forwardly from said first connecting means and connecting said draft arm and coupler for relative vertical pivoting, spring means in said draft arm and acting downwardly on said coupler rearwardly on said second connecting means for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said coupler, and means on said sill supporting said coupler and draft arm fully thereon.

7. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a floating sill extending and slideable longitudinally of said car, a draft arm mounted in and supported fully on said sill, means connecting said draft arm at the rear to said sill for relative horizontal pivoting and limited relative longitudinal and rotative movements, cushioning means in said sill and acting longitudinally on said draft arm for yieldably resisting said relative longitudinal movement thereof, a recess in and opening onto a front end of said draft arm, a coupler having a shank received in said recess, means connecting said shank to said draft arm for vertical pivoting of said coupler relative thereto, a lever arm on said draft arm rearwardly of said second connecting means, and spring means in said recess rearwardly of said second connecting means and acting downwardly on said lever arm for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said coupler.

8. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a floating sill extending and slideable longitudinally of said car, a draft arm mounted in and supported fully on said sill, means connecting said draft arm at the rear to said sill for relative horizontal pivoting and limited relative longitudinal and rotative movements, cushioning means in said sill and acting longitudinally on said draft arm for yieldably resisting said relative longitudinal movement thereof, a recess in and opening onto a front end of said draft arm, a coupler having a shank received in said recess,

means connecting said shank to said draft arm for vertical pivoting of said coupler relative thereto, a lever arm on said shank rearwardly of said second connecting means, and spring means in said recess and acting vertically between said draft and lever arms rearwardly of said second connecting means for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said coupler.

9. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a floating sill extending and slideably longitudinally of said car, a draft arm mounted in said sill, means connecting said draft arm at the rear to said sill for relative horizontal pivoting and limited relative longitudinal and rotative movements, cushioning means in said sill and acting lon gitudinally on said draft arm for yieldably resisting said relative longitudinal movement thereof, a recess in and opening onto a front end of said draft arm, a coupler having a shank received in said recess, means connecting said shank to said draft arm for vertical pivoting of said cou-' pler relative thereto, a lever arm on said shank rearwardly of said second connecting means for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said coupler, and means on said sill for supporting said draft arm and coupler thereon at the rear and adjacent a front end of said draft arm.

10. A draft rigging for a railway car comprising a floating sill extending and slideable longitudinally of said car, a rigid draft arm mounted in said sill, means connecting a rear of said draft arm to said sill for relative horizontal pivoting and limited relative longitudinal and rotative movements, cushioning means in said sill rearwardly of and acting on said draft arm for yieldably resisting said relative longitudinal movement thereof, a

* longitudinally extending recess in and opening onto a against said draft arm and downwardly on said lever arm for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said head, means on said sill for supporting said draft arm and coupler thereon at the rear and adjacent the front end of said draft arm, and means extending laterally between and connecting sides of said sill below and adjacent said front end of said draft arm and forwardly of said second connecting means for supporting said draft arm .at the front on said sill.

11. An articulated railway coupler comprising a draft arm connectable for relative horizontal pivoting to a railway car, a coupler member mounted in and projecting forwardly from said draft arm, means connecting said coupler member for relative vertical pivoting to said draft arm, and means carried by said draft arm rearwardly of said connecting means and acting against said coupler member for yieldably resisting downward pivoting thereof.

12. An articulated railway coupler comprising a rigid draft arm connectable for horizontal pivoting to a railway car and having a forwardly opening recess therein, a coupler having an interlocking head, a rigid shank on said coupler projecting into said recess, a horizontal pivot pin extending laterally through said draft arm and shank and connecting said draft arm and coupler for relative vertical pivoting, an upwardly facing lever arm on said shank rearwardly of said pivot pin, and spring means in said recess and acting vertically between a top wall thereof and said lever arm rearwardly of said pivot pin for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said head.

13. An articulated railway coupler comprising a rigid draft arm connectable for relative horizontal pivoting to a railway car and having a forwardly opening recess therein, a coupler having an interlocking head, a rigid shank on said coupler projecting into said recess, a horizontal pivot pin extending laterally through said draft arm and shank and connecting said draft arm and coupler for relative vertical pivoting, an upwardly facing lever arm on said shank rearwardly of said pivot pin, compression spring means in said recess and acting vertically between a top wall thereof and said lever arm rearwardly of said pivot pin for yieldably resisting downward pivoting of said head, and means on and upstanding from a bottom wall of said recess and normally engaging said spring means for limiting expansion thereof and enabling the head of said coupler normally to be positioned at coupling height with said lever arm spaced above said bottom wall.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,864 12/47 Dean 213-61 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner. 

1. A DRAFT RIGGING FOR A RAILWAY CAR COMPRISING SILL MEANS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID CAR, A COUPLER, A DRAFT ARM, LONGITUDINALLY SPACED MEANS CONNECTING SAID DRAFT ARM REARWARDLY FOR RELATIVE HORIZONTAL PIVOTING TO SAID SILL MEANS AND FORWARDLY FOR RELATIVE VERTICAL PIVOTING 